Commander thankful shutdown is halted

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American Legion National Commander Daniel M. Dellinger expressed relief Thursday after a 16-day partial shutdown of the U.S. government came to an end at midnight. The shutdown had idled thousands of Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Offices throughout the country and threatened to suspend disability payments to veterans at the end of this month.

"On behalf of our nation’s veterans, I am thankful that the U.S. government has reopened," Dellinger said. "The American Legion and all veterans were certainly difference-makers in this temporary resolution. Veterans, members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families should not have been made to suffer or worry about how they were going to pay their bills, feed their families or stay in school during this standoff. Congress and the White House have to work together now to find a lasting solution before last night’s agreement expires."

Dellinger added that VA claims processors and the Legion’s service officers, many of whom were denied access to federal buildings during the shutdown, must work quickly to regain lost ground in serving the nation’s veterans, particularly those waiting for decisions on VA benefits claims.

"We were finally seeing progress against the VA backlog when the shutdown began," Dellinger said. "Now, VA must get back to work and – with help of The American Legion’s nearly 3,000 service officers nationwide – regain momentum and continue reducing the backlog. In the meantime, VA employees, The American Legion and the entire military and veterans communities will be looking to our nation’s elected leaders to achieve a lasting solution."

Chas Hardenbrook

MSteven

"The American people are completely fed up with Washington," Obama said.
... Is this NEW news from Washington?
...The Congressmen and the President have played out the Citizenry to the point where every taxpaying U.S. citizen has been angry and / or disgusted for months with their political fighting using taxpayers' money like it was water flushing down the toilet.
... The President and Congressmen took an OATH to their office, to uphold the Constitution, and protect the U.S. Citizen and their livelihood, as afforded by the Constitution.
... They have blatantly VIOLATED THAT OATH.
... Now We the People have to bear the blunt of the costs of the government "Shut-down".
... The President and the Congress should be arrested and jailed, and their salaries forfeited for the amount this international embarrassment of a 'shut-down' that has cost the American Taxpayer.
... If i told the guys at work that I didn't agree with them and refused to work ... I would be looking out from behind bars.
... An OATH is only as good as the Person who upholds it.

Rory

The Constitution says the payment of U.S. debt "shall not be questioned". This is the so called "debt ceiling". It's the amount we have to pay because Congress and the Presidents (past and present) signed things into law that have to be paid, kind of like ordering at a restaurant, eating the food, and the bill comes. We don't debate whether we should pay it. We contracted for it and it's due. Pay the bill.The
Constitution also says, if you don't like a law like the Affordable Care Act, you pass legislation to rescind it. If you don't or can't rescind it, you HAVE to pay for it until you can rescind it. You don't shut down the government to do this. You convince people to talk to the legislators and get them to vote your way. That's how the law got passed in the first place! No one threatened to close everything down if "Obamacare" didn't get passed.
This tantrum crap is Banana Republic mentality. This is our Country, right or wrong. We fix it when it's wrong, we don't destroy it. Anybody trying to shut down government or change law without our Constitutional process is doing his work for Osama Bin Laden and Al Queda. That's exactly what he wanted us to do. It's exactly what Trotsky did to help usher in Communism to Russia and create the Red Army. This is not American, to shut down government or laws without due process.

Al Garabedian

Wait let me get this straight. The government is suppose to follow the Constitution and do what we the people want them to do. What a radical idea. That hasn't happened since Clinton left office. When Bush got in office, we wanted more jobs, no wars, and equal taxes, and we're still waiting for those and much more. Politicians, in general, shouldn't even get paid unless they do what we tell them to do, not for their own personal interest. We must remind them that we are in charge of this country, not them or big businesses.

BMCS Chester Nichols USCG (Ret)

Duke44

The President admonished Congress to now go back and pass his immigration bill. Frankly, if Congress picks up any matter before solving the Budget crisis, like passing a CR for FY 2014 and a REAL, and I mean REAL, budget for FY 2015 it is criminal on all parties account. Get our fiscal house in order then you can name a few post offices, kiss a few babies, politic 'till your hearts content, but PASS THE BUDGET BILLS and GET THEM SIGNED FIRST!!!!!

David Mo Post 21

This debt limit makes no sense. It is just allowing a minority of the majority to literally shut down the government. I wish our government worked like this: Laws are passed with funding earmarked from the budget. If certain members of Congress want to cut spending, then get the votes and cut or eliminate funding during proper sessions of Congress. Eliminate the debt ceiling like every other industrialized nation has (except for us and I think Denmark). Basically, take care of spending on the front end rather than delivering a minority of the majority of the House the ability to highjack the government.

Nell

The big problem with our
Representatives is they have no clue what our needs are as a people. They talk about what the people want but the truth is it is what they want . Our Representitives are wealthy and they can live anywhere and do anything that suit them. They don't need for anything like most of us we love from payday to payday.

GaryH

Interesting that during all the hubbub during the shutdown, members of the House and Senate kept saying that they were doing the will of the American people. If they really want to do the will of the people, they should pass a term limit amendment to the Constitution as 83 percent of Americans favor term limits. Now that is the will of the people.

John McKay

It is a real shame that the House of Reps manufactured a crisis [ie] not raising the debt limit to pay our bills. These are the money spending bills that originated in legislation enacted in the House. If members of congress had to get real jobs like the rest of us most would starve to death or go on welfare.

Don Davidson

We did not have to raise the debt limit to pay our bills. All the dumbocrats had to do is cut spending like we have to. I am a 100% Disable vet and more than willing to keep the government closed to teach the left a lesson. WE NEED MORE CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE.............

Bill Buechner

Thanks for realizing it's more than just our benefits that are at stake. It is the very fiber of our great nation that is being ripped apart. History will be on the side of those that had the courage to speak out and try to put an end to this insanity. EVERY Politician is at fault for the mess we are in. However, it starts at the top, and if we had a leader instead of a "Chief buck passer" this never would have happened.

Jim Maddox

Rich13

I agree. Congress members need to be held to a term like everybody else in this country. Why should they be guaranteed a job while our service members roam the streets. Thank god for organizations such as the American Legion.

HOGGIN

I know this shutdown was planned for quite a while ago, due to the simple fact that signs went up all over the country within 6-8 hours of the announcement. Now you need to seriously consider who occupies a seat in Congress and the White House. Clean house and replace them with someone who is willing to earn our tax dollars, and spend wisely so we can eliminate the debt for our children and grandchildren. Send our politicians back home without any benefits and force them into 'Obama Care' just like the rest of us. I wish you a safe and pleasant day!

Bill Buechner

chatroux13

Since ignorance is bliss, you must have been ecstatic when Bush was in office destroying the economy! The Greedy Old Politicians are ALL losers, as are those who vote for them, they have absolutely NO idea what their voters want, they just do what big corporations want!! EVERY good our President tries to do, the GOP is against, if he said "breathe more oxygen", they would all hold their breaths, and hopefully, croak!!!

Euell White

Anonymous

As well as our military and for the rest of you who fall at the feet of the king. He does not care about the veterans either. Just look at the actions he made during the shutdown. Just listen to Shinseki testify to congress. Just ask the families whose death benefits were denied to them. Oh, and need we forget those award winning photos of our beloved World War 2 vets being LOCKED OUT of their own monument. The military families who could not shop at the commissary. he went right to the veterans and the military. THANK GOD we are not all lemmings and drink the socialist liberal kool aid!!!!!!

BMCS Chester Nichols USCG (Ret)

Dave Matthews

Unfortunately, by not continuing the aggressive attack on irresponsible deficit spending, we are prolonging the ultimate demise of our economy and eventual defunding of all of our benefits because we won't have the funds to pay them. We must absolutely, completely oppose this reckless spending of our children's futures.....even if it means we will have to sacrifice again....just like we did in combat. Elect representatives who will stand against this cancer to our economy, society and our very culture. As soldiers of our nation, we must protect our future by doing nothing less.

Heather44

There needs to be legislation passed so that veterans and their family's are not held hostage in the future.My veterans mental state over the last couple of weeks has deteriorated greatly.Due to his worry over being put out on the street and being unable to take care of his family. He is 100% disabled and is unable to work.